Publications of the use

Note: The following printer, bookseller, or publisher lists are works in progress. They are generated from title page imprints and may reproduce false and misleading attributions or contain errors.

What does "printed by" mean? How to read the roles ascribed to people in the imprints.

In terms of the book trades, the lists below are sorted into up to four groups where: the person is designated in the imprint as having a single role:

  1. "printed by x"; or
  2. "sold by x"; or
  3. "printed for x" or "published by x";

or as having the seller and printer roles in combination, or an absence of the printer's name following "London: printed:" or "London: printed,":

  1. "printed and sold by x"; or "printed for and sold by x"; or "printed by and for x"; or "printed: and sold by x"; or "printed, and sold by x";  and so on.

On this last point, trade publishers may seem to have "printed" or "published" the work, though they did not own the copyright. The lists below reflect only the information on the imprint, except where ESTC provides extra information.

See also "The Meaning of the Imprint."

Printed by the use

  • Ussher, James. Eighteen choice sermons preached in Oxford in the time of the wars, before His late Majesty of blessed memory. Of Conversion, unto God. redemption, justification, by Christ. By the Reverend Father in God James Usher, late Lord Bishop of Armagh, and Primate of all Ireland. London: printed by the use and benefit of Thomas Gibbs, gent., 1662. ESTC No. R32916. Grub Street ID 115577.

Printed for the use

  • A genuine epistle written some time since to the late famous Mother Lodge. London: printed for J. Roberts at the Oxford Arms in Warwick-Lane for the use of her creditors, MDCCXXXV. [1735]. ESTC No. N18163. Grub Street ID 7637.